Kirsti Sivén & Asko Takala

Virtarannankatu 3-5 state-subsidised rental housing is an infill-plan implementation in the Eastern Myllypuro, by Mustanpuronpuisto park in Helsinki.

The plan called for rowhouses that honour the scale of the single-family houses in the neighbourhood. The buildings were to use timber cladding in warm tones of yellow, red, and brown.

State-subsidised housing has a tight budget. In addition, there was an extra “invisible” cost; soft ground of clay and peat, which required piled foundations even for pipelaying.